Westminster Weekly – October 4

School News

Preschool Goes on a Chicka Chicka Adventure

Our preschoolers embarked on their first field trip of the year with a visit to Imagination Stage to see Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: The Musical. The sold-out performance brought the beloved story to life with lively music, colorful puppets, dancing, and plenty of playful energy. The production stayed true to the familiar story while adding clever surprises and opportunities for audience interaction that kept our young Griffins engaged from beginning to end. For our preschoolers, it was a joyful introduction to the magic of live theater and a wonderful first adventure beyond the classroom. Thank you, Mrs. Lee and the preschool team, for escorting our young theater patrons on this excursion. We can’t wait to see where the rest of the school year takes them!

First-Grade Scientists Bid Farewell to Butterfly Friends

Our first graders recently celebrated an exciting milestone in their butterfly study! As budding lepidopterists, the students have been learning about butterflies and observing their development throughout the life cycle. One butterfly emerged ahead of the others, and the class voted to name her Nibbles. Since she was ready to fly before the rest, Nibbles was released a few days ahead of the others. The other three were set free on Tuesday in a special ceremony by the new woodland creature sculpture log. Two of those flew away quickly, but the third lingered on the playground for some time, much to the delight of the children. While this annual tradition has been going on for many years, this particular event was extra special for two reasons: first, Ms. Petillo fostered these butterflies in her very own garden before bringing them into school to finish their metamorphosis; and second, these were monarch butterflies so they were much larger and more colorful than any we have enjoyed releasing in the past.

There is something magical about watching a butterfly emerge, grow, and finally spread its wings, and the experience offers a beautiful parallel to our own young Griffins, who are finding their wings and growing as young people within the caring and supportive community of Westminster School. Thank you, Ms. Petillo and Ms. Armitage, for guiding our scientists through this exciting course of study, and to Mrs. Schuler for joining the children for such a special event. We look forward to watching both the butterflies and our first graders continue to grow!

Les Petits Botanistes à l’Arboretum National

Westminster’s second graders recently traveled to the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., where they combined their study of plants with their French learning in a lively scavenger hunt. Each student searched for familiar herbs such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil, cilantro, and mint, using the French name of the plants as a clue. Once they found a plant, the students recorded its English and Latin names and carefully sketched what they observed. The activity gave our young botanists a wonderful opportunity to see their French studies come to life in the natural world while practicing careful observation and learning more about the plants around them. It was a memorable way to connect language learning with science and exploration beyond the classroom. Un grand merci à Mme Peev et à Mr. Branum pour avoir accompagné nos jeunes botanistes dans cette belle aventure!

Now Entering: Third Grade City!

On Friday, October 2, our Third Graders visited the National Building Museum for a hands-on exploration of architecture and city planning. The students learned about different types of buildings and considered how individual structures come together to create a city. They then put their ideas into practice, using thousands of LEGO bricks to design and construct their own buildings and add them to a map of Washington, D.C. The experience gave the children a chance to explore how cities are designed while using their own creativity to imagine what they might build. What better way to study a city than to build one ourselves? Thank you, Miss Ryan and Ms. Hertz, for looking after our young architects!

How Does It Work? Fourth Graders Investigate

Have you ever wondered what goes on inside the familiar devices we use every day? Our fourth graders recently explored that question as part of their study of electricity by carefully taking apart keyboards. As the students examined the components inside, they gained a more concrete understanding of how the different parts work together to make everyday technology function. This hands-on investigation brought their science learning to life by giving them the opportunity to explore a familiar device from the inside out. A special thank-you to Ms. Hertz, our Science and STEAM teacher, for creating this engaging opportunity for our students to explore electricity.

Fifth Grade Gives Caesar a Roman Funeral

As they wrapped up their study of Julius Caesar, the fifth graders laid the renowned Roman general and dictator to rest with a reenactment of his funeral in Rome. Caesar’s body was displayed on a platform in the Roman Forum while student-spectators gathered to mourn. Following the tradition of Roman funerals for the elite, one student wore a mask representing Caesar and his ancestors in the Julii family.

Although the text of the original speech from Caesar’s funeral is lost, Shakespeare provides us with an alternative oration. An enthusiastic Mark Antony read the speech aloud, followed by the dramatic retrieval of Caesar’s will from the Vestal Virgins, who had kept it safe and unaltered. The spectators cheered when they learned that Caesar had left money to the Roman citizens, and were shocked to discover that one of the men who had conspired to assassinate him was also mentioned in the will!

The following day, students reflected on Caesar’s life and legacy by considering two questions: Was Caesar’s legacy positive or negative? Were the conspirators justified in assassinating Julius Caesar? Students drew on their impressive knowledge of Roman history to form their own opinions and support their ideas with evidence in both discussion and writing. The reenactment vividly brought Caesar’s final moments to life while giving students an opportunity to step into the world they had been studying.

A special thank-you to Mrs. Bernick, our 5th and 6th-Grade History and Classical Studies teacher, for inspiring our students to experience the ancient world.

Math Club Is In Session!

Our Math Club and Junior Math Club students have been putting their mathematical thinking to work! These young scholars enjoy opportunities to explore math beyond the regular classroom and challenge themselves with engaging problems and puzzles. We love seeing our Griffins approach mathematics with curiosity, persistence, and teamwork!

Food for Thought

What the Arts Can Do for a Child

At Westminster, we believe that the arts are an essential part of a child’s education. As this January 2020 article from the Kennedy Center reminds us, engaging with the arts gives children opportunities to develop their creativity while building a deeper understanding of the world around them. Whether students are performing on stage, studying a work of art, or discovering the power of a poem, the arts invite them to see, think, and express themselves in new ways. We are proud to make both visual and performing arts an important part of the Westminster experience and to give our Griffins opportunities to discover what the arts can make possible.